Do nothing, mostly.
Teak is the rare wood that is happiest left alone. Outside, untreated, it will silver to a soft driftwood gray within four to twelve months and hold that color indefinitely. This is not damage — it is what teak does. If you prefer to keep it honey, a two-part teak cleaner restores the color in a single afternoon.
Hose down once a season
Plain water removes pollen and dust. A soft brush helps in stubborn corners.
Tighten the hardware annually
Wood expands and contracts with humidity. Once a year, run a screwdriver around exposed bolts on tables and tighten by hand.
Use cleaner + sealer if you prefer honey
Apply teak cleaner, let dry 48 hours, then two thin coats of sealer working with the grain. Reapply once a year.
Never use teak oil
Teak oil feeds mildew, darkens unpredictably, and does not protect. Use sealer or nothing.
Do
- Hose down once a season
- Use teak cleaner + sealer if you prefer honey
- Tighten visible hardware annually
- Allow teak to silver — it's correct
Don't
- Use teak oil — it feeds mildew
- Power-wash above 1,000 PSI
- Sand to bring back color
- Cover wet pieces — let them dry first
Nearly indestructible.
The hand-woven HDPE wicker on Boca, Sanibel, and Helena is engineered for fifteen years of continuous UV exposure with minimal fading and no unraveling under normal use. The single thing that affects it is dust accumulation in the weave pattern.
Hose monthly in active months
Plain water from a garden hose. Aim into the weave; the dust rinses out the back side.
Mild soap for stubborn spots
A soft brush and dishwashing soap. Rinse thoroughly afterward.
Lift, do not drag
Drag-pulling on a paver or stone deck can cut the bottom strands. Two people, lift, set down.
Do
- Hose into the weave monthly in season
- Use mild soap and a soft brush for spots
- Lift with two people when moving
- Leave it out year-round — it's built for it
Don't
- Drag across pavers or stone
- Power-wash the weave
- Use bleach or abrasive cleaners
- Wrap in non-breathable plastic covers
Designed to get wet.
Every Sunbrella® fabric is made with Color to the Core™ technology — each fiber is saturated with dye throughout, not just on the surface, before it's spun into yarn. That's why Sunbrella® fabrics are designed to come clean from the toughest stains — avocado, red wine, sunscreen — and can even be cleaned with bleach. Clean spills as soon as they occur, work seam to seam, and covers zip off when you want to go deeper.
Blot, don't rub
Blot liquid spills with a clean, dry cloth as soon as they happen. For oil-based spills, apply cornstarch as an absorbent first, then scrape off with a straight edge.
The standard wash
Sunbrella's method: ¼ cup mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water, worked in with a sponge or very soft-bristle brush. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue, then air dry.
Machine wash & mildew
Close all zippers, then machine-wash covers cold on delicate with mild detergent. For severe mold or mildew, add 1 cup of bleach to the wash — Sunbrella® won't fade. Always air dry.
Refresh after heavy cleaning
After repeated thorough cleanings, refresh the fabric's water repellency with Sunbrella Restore™ Fabric Protector, applied outdoors per the container instructions.
Store cushions vertically in winter
In seasonal climates, store cushions indoors. Stand them on edge — do not stack flat.
For more information about Sunbrella® fabrics, visit sunbrella.com
Lowest maintenance.
Slings on the Sundaze, Sunbed, and Steamer lounges, and the woven rope on the Admiral, Marseille, and Ventura collections, are the lowest-maintenance materials we make. Dyed in the strand, woven for outdoor use.
Hose monthly
Plain water removes the vast majority of dust and pollen. Slings dry in twenty minutes in sun.
Soap for spots
Mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid bleach — it doesn't fade the strand color, but does damage the binder.
Mostly unnecessary.
Royal Teak frames — wood, wicker, aluminum, rope — are designed to be left outside year-round. The exception is cushions: in seasonal climates, store cushions indoors from late autumn through spring.
Frames: leave them out
Cover only with a breathable, vented furniture cover. Plastic tarps trap moisture and cause more damage than weather.
Cushions: indoors, vertical
Dry, ventilated space. Stand on narrow edge — do not stack flat. Garage, basement, or unfinished attic.
Spring start-up
Hose everything down, tighten hardware, restore teak if you'd like, re-cushion. Twenty minutes of work.